Lawrence School, Sanawar
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Sanawar Logo
Never Give In |
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| Foundation | 15 April 1847 |
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| School type | Public School |
| Headmaster | Mr. Praveen Vashisht |
| Chairman of Trustees | Secretary of Education, Government of India |
| Location | Kasauli Hills, Himachal Pradesh |
| Pupils | 700 |
| Teaching Staff | 70 |
| Houses | Himalaya, Nilagiri, Siwalik, Vindhya |
| School Colours | |
| Website | www.sanawar.com |
The Lawrence School, Sanawar (near Kasauli), Himachal Pradesh, India was founded by Major General Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence of the Army of the colonial India’s British Raj as a military asylum. It was established on 15 April 1847, and is one of the oldest co-educational boarding schools in the world.
The school has graduated many dignitaries and is a reputed co-educational, residential public school of India.
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[edit] The background
Henry Lawrence wanted to establish a chain of schools with a view to provide education to the children of the deceased and serving soldiers and officers of the British army. Lawrence was himself killed in the Indian rebellion of 1857, also called India’s First War of Independence. His dream took shape and four such schools, initially known as Lawrence Military Asylum, were established in different parts of India: the first two during his lifetime in the year 1847 at Sanawar and the second at Mount Abu in 1856; the third at Lovedale, near Ootacamund on 6 September 1858, and the fourth in Ghora Gali (near Murree, now in Pakistan) in 1860.
[edit] History
Founded by Sir Henry and Lady Honoria Lawrence, Sanawar is believed to be the first co-educational boarding school in the world. On 15 April 1847, a group of 14 boys and girls camped at the top of the foothills of the Himalayas. They lived under canvas for some weeks anxiously waiting for the first buildings to be completed before the arrival of the monsoon. Thus did Sanawar come into existence. By 1853, the school had grown to 195 pupils when it was presented with the King's Colour. One of only six schools and colleges ever to be so honoured in the entire British Empire, the others being Eton, Shrewsbury, Cheltenham, the Duke of York's Royal Military School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Sanawar has held its Colour for the longest unbroken period.
From its Foundation, the financial burden of the School was borne by Sir Henry until his death in 1857, when the government assumed responsibility for the finances as a mark of esteem to his memory. Under these arrangements, control of the School passed from the 'Honourable Board of Directors' to the Crown. This was a most unusual arrangement, not repeated in any English Public School.
The tradition of military training at Sanawar has always been strong and was of such a high standard that several contingents of boys were enlisted from the School and sent straight to the battlefields of the Great War. In appreciation of this, the School was redesignated in 1920 as the "Lawrence Royal Military School", and, in 1922, the Prince of Wales personally presented the School with new Colours. The School Colour continues to this day to be trooped at the Founders Celebration in early October and Sanawar pupils continue to make a major contribution to the defence of the country to this day, most notably in the form of Arun Khetarpal, a Param Vir Chakra awardee.
Sanawar's Centenary year (1947) was crucial to the development of the School. With Independence, the bulk of the staff and children at Sanawar returned to the UK. However, the then Governor General, Lord Louis Mountbatten, presided at the School's Centenary celebrations and read out a special message from George VI. Thereafter, control of the School passed from the Crown to the Government of India, Ministry of Defence. A further transfer in 1949 brought the School under the control of the Ministry of Education and subsequently, in 1953, to the autonomous Lawrence School (Sanawar) Society. However, Sanawar retains strong links with its past. The Chairman of the Society is the Secretary for Education, Government of India and, at the recent sesquicentenary celebrations in 1997, a message of congratulations was received from the current Prince of Wales, Prince Charles.
The first Principal of the School was the Rev. W. J. Parker, (1848 - 1863). Notable events during his period include the first Founder's Day in 1849, and the opening of the Chapel in 1851. Parker was followed by the Rev. J. Cole (1864 - 1886), the Rev. A. Hilldersley (1886 - 1912) and by the fourth Principal, the Rev. G. D. Barne (1912 - 1932) who developed Sanawar into a major public school along English lines with House and Prefectorial systems, games on an organised basis and a curriculum working towards Cambridge University Examinations.
The School continued to evolve and modernise throughout the middle and later years of the last century. In 1956, Mr. E. G. Carter, retired as Principal and was succeeded by Major R. Som Dutt (1956 - 1970), the School's first Indian Headmaster. He laid the foundations for the school, as it is today, India's foremost residential coeducational public school. Developments have continued since that time, most notably under the leadership of Mr. S. R. Das (1974 - 1988).
[edit] Campus
Sanawar is situated on an independent hill and covers an area of 139 acres. The campus is heavily forested with pine, deodar and other conifer trees. To get to the School, one must take a detour from Dharampur on the NH22.
Walking around the campus, one can see a mixture of colonial buildings, many of which are over a century old, nestling side by side with modern facilities.
Amongst the oldest buildings is the 140 years old School Chapel[1] with its exquisite stained glass windows. Whilst the school has no specific religious affiliation, the Chapel is the spiritual centre of the community, and regular assemblies are held in which all students and staff take part. The daily routine includes a silent march past the War Memorials beside the Chapel, connecting the pupils of today with those of the past who have played their part in the nations call.
Amongst the new buildings is the Central Dining Hall. The School is constantly upgrading its facilities; most recently, Parker Hall, now the schools' Learning Resource Centre, provides easy access to archival memorabilia, up-to-date library resources, and computer & internet facilities. In this building alone, over thirty new computers have been installed along with the first ISDN line in Himachal Pradesh.
The School takes pride in its state-of-art solar-heated indoor swimming pool, above which is the Indoor Sports Complex and besides which are the squash courts.
Gaskell Hall, named after William Gaskell, used to be the boys school and is now the school Gymnasium. Inter-house Boxing and Gym competition are some of the main events held in Gaskell Hall. On one of the walls of the gymnasium is a quotation from Rudyard Kipling's "Kim", and it reads "Send him to Sanawar and make a man of him." [2]
There are many other buildings and facilities of interest, supporting both academic and non-academic activities. Particularly worthy of mention is the main teaching block, the 'Birdwood School Buildings', which also contains the Barne Hall, where plays, shows, films and lectures are regularly held. Around the school estate are numerous playing fields, the newest being a superb basketball court. The main cricket and football ground, Barnes Field, to which the descent and ascent alone will exhaust, leaves the fittest of players and spectators breathless!
The School is financially self-sufficient and has its own printing press. A resident doctor heads the staff of the Schools 60 bed infirmary, having its own ambulance.
[edit] Academics
There are 75 members on the teaching faculty and at the +2 level the subjects offered include Hindi, English Literature, Computers, Mathematics,Commerce, Accountancy,Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, Home Science, Political Science, History, Geography, Economics, Art, Music and Sculpture.
The ratio of 75 faculty members to about 670 students is far above the average [3] in India.
The normal student strength per classroom varies from 10 to 25.
The school is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi.
There is a growing emphasis on the audio-visual aids in education at Sanawar.
A monthly assessment, in which each student is discussed individually, forms a unique feature of the assessment system at Sanawar. Very bright students are encouraged with monthly awards of Distinction and Commendation and the privilege of signing the Honours Book once a year. Weak students are placed on the House Masters/Headmasters List and are helped to do remedial work in their weak subjects. A copy of the Assessment Card is sent to the parents. At the end of each term a statement of marks and comments by the subject teachers are also sent to the parents.
The school has an up-to-date library with a substantial collection of books and periodicals on a wide variety, accumulated over the years.
The school museum is not just a collection of articles but an educational experience in much wider sense.
[edit] Extra Curricular Activities
From site: Hobbies
Children at Sanawar select a number of 'hobby' activities, which they pursue at different times of the year.
These activities include, for instance:
- Weaving
- Art
- Sculpture
- Ceramics
- Carpentry
- Computers
- Needle Work
- Photography
- Paper Recycling
- Indian Classical Music & Dance
- Bugle and Brass Bands
Also, in line are:
- European Culture Studies
- Western Classical Music
At certain times of the year, children are involved in a wide variety of social activities ranging from fire fighting to working in the School's Rural Centre. Tree planting has been an annual activity over the decades. Other major projects are Adult & Child Education, a Crafts Centre, and annual international village development camps (organized for the Round Square International Service).
Membership of the Round Square International Service gives X1th Class children an opportunity to take part in a student exchange programme with other member schools throughout the world. During a visit of 2 months duration, they study at the host school, staying either with families or in the school's dormitory facilities, playing a full part in the life of the school and community which they are visiting.
Dramatics, Debating, Elocution and Quiz contests are a regular feature. Each House produces a House Show each year, giving children of all ages a chance to perform live on the stage, or learn the arts of stage management and production.
Membership of SPICMACAY ensures that artistes of repute visit the School on a regular basis for a lecture demonstration on classical Dance and Music. The North Zone Cultural Centre organizes folk and classical performances to give an exposure to the students.
Visiting the School Museum is an educational experience in itself. It includes Sanawar's Colours, photographic and printed records, awards, mementos, teaching instruments, musical instruments and one of the worlds' oldest operational printing presses.
[edit] Sports
Physical activity is an essential ingredient of life in Sanawar. The daily routine itself requires movement between dormitories, classes, dining hall, hobby and game locations spread over the 139 acre site at differing levels: in Sanawar, all paths either go up or down!
All children take a half an hour physical exercise every morning (except Sundays). During the early Spring term, this takes the form of a 'Hodson's Run', 3-5 kms around the school site, culminating in the fiercely fought Hudsons' Finals in April. During the rest of the year the children practice their mass PT movements, preparing for perfection in the Parade at the annual Founders Celebration in October.
NCC is compulsory in the senior classes and the School maintains a high standard in military training.
In addition to these compulsory activities, each child also has the option to pursue a wide range of sporting activities, both as team games and as individual pursuits, within the school timetable.
Activities include:
- Cricket
- Hockey
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Squash
- Tennis
- Badminton
- Table Tennis
- Athletics
- Swimming
- Gymnastics
- Rifle shooting
- Boxing
- Kayaking
A high percentage of the school's' income is allocated to the employment of staff with specialist skills to coach each activity in the provision of the best quality equipment for safety and performance.
Interactions with other schools through sporting and cultural activities are a regular feature of the weekend programme, and where the level of achievement is appropriate, international sports tours are arranged.
Camping and trekking are an integral part of the life of the School. Easy access to the remote Himalayan regions is a real asset for its trekkers, and additional activities such as white water rafting, mountain cycling and rock climbing are also in this programme[4].
[edit] Life on Campus
Students have a very busy schedule through the day and are involved in a lot of extra curricular activities apart from studies.
The day begins at 6 a.m. with chhota haazri and PT - either a cross-country run or mass exercises followed by a quick change, House inspection and up to the school for the first of two classes before breakfast at 9 o'clock.
After breakfast the School congregates in Chapel on Monday and Thursday and then the classes begin. The morning break at 11.30 provides a drink and a snack, otherwise it's working through to lunch at 1.10 p.m at the Central Dining Hall.
From morning break onwards, the timetable includes games and hobbies alongside academic classes. This allows a varied day and makes best use of the time and other resources available.
At 6.00 p.m., students 'fall in' for evening prep in the Birdwood School, an hour and 20 minutes of concentrated, self disciplined study. At 7.40 p.m., the bell sounds 'time for dinner'. After dinner, returning to the dorms, after some free time, there is a further study hour in the dorms before the 'final bugle calls' all to rest.
On Sundays, students are free to plan their own time having enjoyed the luxury of an extra hour in bed and a relaxed breakfast. Students may practice for sports, visit Kasauli or just relax.
Founders celebrations are an intrinsic part of life in Sanawar. Three days of celebrations beginning October 2nd each year are marked with many events and shows. Parents and old students[5] swarm to the campus and relive their days at Sanawar.
[edit] Terminology
- G.D. - Girls Department
- B.D. - Boys Department
- P.D. - Prep Department
- C.D.H. - Central Dining Hall
- Parker Hall - the library
- SSC - Som Dutt Sports Centre
-Birdwood- the main school building
- Form II - Class 4 ( ceased to exist 1997 )
- Lower III- class 5
- Upper III- class 6
- Lower IV - class 7
- Upper IV - class 8
- Lower V - class 9
- Upper V - class 10
- Lower VI - class 11
- Upper VI - class 12
- Super Six - students sitting their class 12th board exams
[edit] School Song
"Never Give In" is our motto,
Strive till the set of sun,
and we learn its truth,
In the days of Youth,
On the long Hodson Run.
For though your heart seems bursting,
Up Sergeant Tilley's hill,
Though you may not win,
You'll yet come in,
If you "stick it" still.
It's a way we have in Sanawar,
The best school of all.
And we'll live in that motto's power,
Till the last bugle call.
Never Give In, Sanawar
Though the wickets swiftly fall.
And the light is bad and our hearts are sad
And it’s hard to see the ball.
Never Give In, Sanawar
It’s a cricket motto, too.
Somebody's got to “stop the rot”
And why not you.
It’s a way we have in Sanawar,
The best school of all.
And we’ll live in that motto's power,
Till the last bugle call.
Never Give In, Sanawar
With schooldays far away
When you're all alone and on your own
With life's stern game to play.
For still the old school motto
Till life's long journey close
Will guide us true, till the game is through
And for “time” the whistle blows.
It’s a way we have in Sanawar,
The best school of all.
And we’ll live in that motto's power,
Till the last bugle call.
[edit] Old Sanawarians
In the course of its 160 year old existence, many alumni that passed out of Sanawar, earned name for themselves as well as for Sanawar. Some of the notable alumni are:
- Arun Khetarpal[6] - Param Vir Chakra Recipient - the highest honour for Indian Army
- Sanjay Dutt
- Suhkbir Badal, a Member of Parliament and Minister of State of India
- Omar Abdullah
- Kirat Bhattal, model
- Maneka Gandhi
- Ajeet Bajaj[7] - First Indian to ski to North Pole
- Shiva Keshavan[8] - Represented India in Luge at Olympics
- Rana Talwar - Erstwhile head of Standard Chartered Bank and currently Chairman of Centurian Bank of Punjab
- Jasjit S. ("Jesse") Bhattal, CEO of Lehman Brothers, Asia Pacific and member of the Lehman Brothers executive board.
- Illoosh Ahluwalia[9] - Artist
- Apoorva Lakhia[10], filmmaker
- Bunty Walia[11], Filmmaker
- Rahul Roy, actor
- Pooja Bedi, actor
- Siddharth Kak - Television personality
- Justice C.K. Mahajan, Judge of the Delhi High Court and eminent jurist
- Randip Singh Rai ,Senior Central Govt Standing Council, Additional Advocate General Punjab, Standing Council Union Territory Chandigarh
- Amanbir Singh, Director of hotel corporation Hot Millions
- Feroz Ewari Gujral, supermodel
- Nirvik Singh, CEO, Trikya Grey South East Asia
[edit] References
- ^ Chapel at Sanawar
- ^ Rudyard Kipling's Kim, Chapter 5
- ^ Student Teacher ratio in India
- ^ Adventure Sports in Sanawar
- ^ Sanawarians on a nostalgic trip
- ^ Arun Khetarpal on Indian army's site
- ^ Ajeet Bajaj says the school motto kept him going
- ^ Shiva Keshavan
- ^ Illoosh Ahluwalia
- ^ Sanawarians in the film industry
- ^ Sanawarians in the film industry
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Article on Sanawar in The Tribune
- Sanawar in The Times Of India
- Sanawar at odds with itself
| Lawrence Schools |
Lawrence School, Sanawar | Lawrence College, Ghora Gali | Lawrence School, Lovedale |
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